Patentable/Patents/US-6829535
US-6829535

Method and apparatus for generating satellite tracking information in a compact format

PublishedDecember 7, 2004
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

Method and apparatus for creating a compact orbit model is described. Satellite tracking data is obtained having a first set of orbit terms that define a first orbit model. The satellite tracking data is formatted to form formatted data having a second set of orbit terms that define a second orbit model. A number of terms in the first set of orbit terms is greater than a number of terms in the second set of orbit terms.

Patent Claims
31 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.

1

1. A method of creating a compact orbit model, comprising: obtaining satellite tracking data having a first set of orbit terms that define a first orbit model; and formatting said satellite tracking data to form formatted data having a second set of orbit terms that define a second orbit model, where a number of terms in said first set of orbit terms is greater than a number of terms in said second set of orbit terms.

2

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the obtaining step comprises: receiving satellite signals from a least one receiving station; and extracting measurement data from said satellite signals; and forming the satellite tracking data in response to the measurement data.

3

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the measurement data comprises at least one of: code phase measurements, carrier phase measurements, Doppler measurements, and satellite ephemeris data.

4

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said satellite tracking data comprises at least one of a satellite orbit model or a satellite clock model.

5

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said satellite tracking data comprises at least one of: data representative of a satellite orbit model, an orbit model, and data representative of a satellite clock model.

6

6. The method of claim 1 , where said terms in said second orbit model require fewer bits to encode it than said terms in said first orbit model.

7

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said satellite signals are GPS signals.

8

8. The method of claim 1 , where an accuracy of the data in said second orbit model is increased by decreasing a time interval represented by said formatted data defining said second orbit model.

9

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said formatting step further comprises: zeroing a plurality of terms in said first set of orbit terms.

10

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said formatting step further comprises: adjusting a plurality of non-zero terms in said second set of orbit terms in response to the effects of zeroing terms in said first set of terms.

11

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of terms in said first set of orbit terms that are zeroed are harmonic terms.

12

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said formatting step further comprises: replacing a plurality of terms in said first set of orbit terms with a constant value.

13

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the constant value is determined in response to satellite almanac data.

14

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein said formatted data having said first set of orbit terms comprises parameters defined in ICD-GPS-200.

15

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one term of said second set of orbit terms is defined as a number with a lower resolution than a corresponding term in said first set of orbit terms.

16

16. A method of creating a compact orbit model, comprising: receiving satellite signals having satellite tracking data from at least one receiving station; extracting at least a portion of the satellite tracking data from the satellite signals, where said portion comprises a first set of orbit terms that define a first orbit model; and formatting said portion to form formatted data having a second set of orbit terms that define a second orbit model, where a number of terms in said first set of orbit terms is greater than a number of terms in said second set of orbit terms.

17

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein said satellite tracking data comprises at least one of a satellite orbit model or a satellite clock model.

18

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein said satellite tracking data comprises at least one of: data representative of a satellite orbit model, an orbit model, and data representative of a satellite clock model.

19

19. The method of claim 16 , where said terms in said second orbit model require fewer bits to encode it than said terms in said first orbit model.

20

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein said satellite signals are GPS signals.

21

21. The method of claim 16 , wherein said satellite tracking data comprises at least one of code phase measurements, carrier phase measurements, Doppler measurements, and satellite ephemeris data.

22

22. The method of claim 16 , where an accuracy of the data in said second orbit model is increased by decreasing a time interval represented by said formatted data defining said second orbit model.

23

23. The method of claim 16 , wherein said formatting step further comprises: zeroing a plurality of terms in said first set of orbit terms.

24

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein said formatting step further comprises: adjusting a plurality of non-zero terms in said second set of orbit terms in response to the effects of zeroing terms in said first set of terms.

25

25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the plurality of terms in said first set of orbit terms that are zeroed are harmonic terms.

26

26. The method of claim 16 , wherein said formatting step further comprises: replacing a plurality of terms in said first set of orbit terms with a constant value.

27

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the constant value is determined in response to satellite almanac data.

28

28. The method of claim 16 , wherein said formatted data having said first set of orbit terms comprises parameters defined in ICD-GPS-200.

29

29. The method of claim 16 , wherein at least one term of said second set of orbit terms is defined as a number with a lower resolution than a corresponding term in said first set of orbit terms.

30

30. An apparatus for distributing compact satellite orbit models, comprising: a database for storing satellite tracking data having a first set of terms that define a first orbit model; and means for formatting said satellite tracking data to form formatted data having a second set of orbit terms that define a second orbit model, where a number of terms in said first set of orbit terms is greater than a number of terms in said second set of orbit terms.

31

31. The apparatus of claim 30 , further comprising: at least one satellite signal receiver for receiving satellite signals from at least one satellite; means for extracting measurement data from said satellite signals; and means for forming the satellite tracking data in response to the measurement data.

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Patent Metadata

Filing Date

September 5, 2003

Publication Date

December 7, 2004

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